Australia regains No 1 spot in ODI ranking

Four-time world champion Australia has returned to the top of the Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings after defeating South Africa 4-1 in the five-match ODI series, which concluded in Sydney on Sunday.

George Bailey’s side had started the series in third position on 114 ratings points and has finished on equal points with India on 117 ratings points. However, when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point, Australia is just 0.2 clear of India and five ratings points clear of South Africa, which has dropped one place to third.

South Africa had moved ahead of Australia last month, following its 2-0 victory over New Zealand.

Australia, who has enjoyed a total of 498 weeks at the top pedestal since the current rankings system was introduced in October 2002, will now participate in a triangular series, also featuring world champion India and England. This series will start in Melbourne on 16 January and will conclude in Perth on 1 February.

With just one ranking point separating them, fourth placed Sri Lanka hosts fifth placed England in a seven-ODI series which starts in Colombo on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Bangladesh are currently facing Zimbabwe in a five-match ODI series.

Reliance ICC ODI Team Rankings(as on 23 November, after the conclusion of series between Australia and South Africa, and first ODI between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe)